This is a procedure performed using a multi-slice CT. The current multi-slice CT that exquisitely produces coronary artery images, is a 64-slice CT scanner.
Speed is extremely important in our ability to "freeze" the heart. Since the heart is a rapidly moving structure, the only way to image structures within it, is if we can scan as fast as the heart beats or close enough.
Using this modality we can perform the following procedures as part of a cardiac CT examination.
- Calcium scoring
- Coronary artery imaging
- Functional assessment
The applications of cardiac CT include the following:
- Detection and characterization of coronary artery occlusive lesions secondary to atherosclerosis, transplant arteriopathy, intimal dissection and vasculitis
- Detection and characterization of coronary artery anomalies
- Detection and characterization of coronary artery aneurysms
- Coronary vein mapping
- Characterization of cardiac chamber morphology and function
- Characterization of native and prosthetic cardiac valves
- Detection and characterization of congenital heart disease
- Characterization of cardiac masses
- Diagnosis of pericardial diseases
- Detection and characterization of post-operative abnormalities
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